Joe's face drained of color. He went back into the boys' room and stared at his reflection in the mirror over the sink. "You did it," the voices were still telling him. "Now everyone will notice you." The tears fell down his cheeks as his eyes stayed on the mirror even though Joe could no longer see his own reflection.

After a few minutes, Joe exited the room again. He walked over to the back window and looked down. He saw the janitor's body and two officers taping off the area. He saw Frank arguing with Bayport's tall, graying chief of police, Ezra Collig. There were three other men, officers in plainclothes he knew, collecting samples of things into small plastic bags.

Joe backed away from the window and headed for the exit. In less than two minutes time he walked over to where his brother and Chief Collig were arguing. Chief Collig held a chain and pendant in his hand which Joe recognized as one given to him by a friend of his who lived in Jamaica. The other officers stopped what they were doing to watch the scene as Joe approached.

"Joe, don't say anything," Frank told him before he could say anything.

"I have to," Joe told him, starting to cry in front of everyone. "I don't remember killing him," he told his astonished brother and Chief Collig. "But they say I did, so I guess I did."

"They who?" Chief Collig asked, looking at the boy he had known for well over ten years with sympathy.

"Them," Joe said, crying and putting his hands over his ears as he fell to his knees. "They won't shut up," he added, crying even harder.

"Joe," Frank said softly, falling to his knees beside his baby brother and pulling him close.

Several hours later, Frank sat with his parents in Chief Collig's office. Joe had finally calmed down and had been placed under arrest for murdering Jeff Cornett, the high school janitor, and for robbing Maxines. At the police station he had been taken to a secure area and Dr. Kevin Wagner, a psychologist from the Corwin Institute, had been called in to evaluate Joe's mental state. After talking with Joe, Dr. Wagner had requested a transcript of Joe's educational performance.

Chief Collig's door opened and Frank jumped to his feet as a large man with brown hair and green eyes walked in the door. "I'm Dr. Wagner," he said, coming inside. Fenton and Laura rose to their feet anxiously.

"How is he?" Laura asked.

"Has Joe been having any problems at home?" Dr. Wagner asked them.

"He hasn't been sleeping well," Frank responded.

"Have you noticed any change in his behavior?" Dr. Wagner became more specific.

"He's been getting angry a lot lately," Frank replied a little hesitantly. "Especially at me," he added, with an apologetic look at his parents. "He and I have gotten into a couple of quarrels at school," he explained.

"Was this before or after the car accident yesterday that Joe told me about?" the doctor asked.

"Before," Frank replied glumly, knowing the accident couldn't be the cause of Joe's strange behavior.

"After talking to him and viewing the rapid decline in his grades, I think it would be best if Joe were admitted to Corwin..." he paused as protests arose from all three Hardys. He held up his hand and they quietened down. "I'm sorry," he continued. "But I really believe it best if Joe have a complete mental evaluation and that has to be done at Corwin."

"He's not crazy!" Frank shouted.

"Easy," Fenton ordered Frank, grabbing his arm. "I don't want to admit it either," he said, his eyes bright, "but Joe hasn't been himself lately. You know that."

"That doesn't mean he's crazy," Frank argued.

"Easy, Son," Dr. Wagner said calmingly to Frank. "I am not suggesting Joe is insane. He may have a chemical imbalance in the brain or he may be perfectly all right and something else may be the matter. However," he continued, "if Joe is ill, we need to know for sure."

"I'll have him transferred to Corwin," Chief Collig told the Hardys. "Dr. Wagner will be in charge of the evaluation."

"He'll be fine," Laura told Frank, trying to reassure herself as much as Frank. She put an arm around his shoulders and hugged him.

Fenton looked at his wife and son and then back to Chief Collig. If Joe didn't turn out to be mentally unbalanced then he would have to stand trial for murder and robbery. Either way, Joe was a loser. He let the tears start falling.

XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Breakfast at the Hardy home the next morning was a somber affair. Sometime during the night Frank had come to the same realization as his father. "Dad, we've got to find out who killed the janitor," he said, setting his fork down and pushing back his plate of pancakes which were mostly untouched.

"You're right," Fenton agreed, also giving up the pretence of eating. "Can you get Chet and the others to help?"

"No problem," Frank assured him.

"I'll find out all I can about the robbery at Maxine's. We have to clear Joe on both charges," he stated.

"What if he did kill Cornett and rob Maxine's?" Laura asked, voicing the fear they all faced.

"He didn't," Frank said with a conviction he didn't really feel. "And..( he swallowed) and we'll prove it." He stood up. "I'll let you know what we find out," Frank promised his dad before leaving for school.

"Frank!" he heard his name called as he got out of his mom's car. The van was still in the garage for repairs from Joe's accident. He turned around and saw his blond-headed, green eyed, seventeen year old girlfriend, Callie Shaw waving at him. She was sitting on the lawn with Joe's girlfriend, Vanessa, Biff, and two other friends, dark haired, dark eyed, olive-skinned Tony Prito and Chet Morton. Chet was a chubby fellow with short blond hair and green eyes. He was also Frank's and Joe's best friend.

"How's Joe?" Chet asked as Frank sprawled on the lawn beside Callie.

"Not good," Frank replied. "He thinks he's gone crazy," he added, with a frown.

"We've known he was for years," Callie said, joking. Frank gave her a disapproving look. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I know this is serious."

"I need your help," Frank said, sitting up and looking at his circle of friends. "We've got to find out who killed Cornett."

"I thought Joe confessed," Biff said, a puzzled look on his face.

"He did," Frank admitted. "But he also said he didn't remember doing it. Joe's no killer," he said angrily.

"They found his necklace lying beside the janitor's body," Vanessa said. "And he missed his first two classes."

"You think he did it?" Frank demanded, looking at her in disbelief.

"Not if he knew what he was doing," Vanessa replied. "But, well, he hasn't been himself lately."

"I thought you cared about Joe," Frank said in disgust.

"I do!" she shouted. "That's why I want him to get help."

"Your kind of help he doesn't need," Frank snarled at her, his brown eyes flashing daggers.

"Fine!" Vanessa screamed. "I'll stay out of your way," she vowed. Standing up, she snatched her backpack from the grass and strode away angrily.

"What can we do to help?" Chet asked after Vanessa had disappeared from sight.

"Dad's gone to the mall," Frank informed them. "He's going to try and clear Joe of the robbery at Maxine's. What we.."

"Back up," ordered Biff, interrupting him. "What's this about Maxine's?"

"Maxine's was robbed night before last and we found the stuff in Joe's drawer yesterday morning," Frank explained. "I know," he said, before anyone could speak. "It looks bad, but why would he do that? Joe's too smart to hide something in such an obvious place even if he had robbed the place," Frank reasoned.

The Hardys' friends remained quiet. Even if Joe were guilty, Frank needed them now more than ever and they knew if they said anything against Joe, he would turn on them as he had on Vanessa.

"We need to find out who killed the janitor," Frank continued. "Joe didn't have a motive, but someone must have."

"Have they set Joe's bond yet?" Callie asked.

Frank shook his head. "They sent him for a complete psychiatric evaluation," he replied. "If...when he passes, then they'll set it." No one mentioned Frank's slip of the tongue.

The bell rang and everyone got to their feet and went inside.

After school they all gathered at the pizzeria. "Everyone liked him," Chet told the group, helping himself to a slice of pizza. "I talked to the principal and half the teachers."

"I checked his personnel file," Callie said. She helped out in the office occasionally as the secretary's assistant. "He went to Southport High School and graduated six years ago. He worked as janitor for Stoneberg Manufacturing until the plant closed and then moved here."

"Does he have any family?" Frank asked.

"He has a sister listed to contact in case of emergency. Stephanie Brown. I guess she'll be in charge of his funeral."

"Did you find out anything?" Tony asked Frank.

Frank frowned but answered truthfully. "No one I talked to had seen anyone arguing with him except Joe."

"They argued?" Biff asked in surprise. "What about?"

"Steve said Jim jumped on Joe for crashing into a display case housing the trophies for the chess tournament," Frank informed them. "Joe told him it was an accident but Jim thought Joe was doing it because football players generally put down the chess club."

"That's ridiculous," Callie said. "Joe goes to all your chess matches," she told Frank.

"When do you get to see Joe?" Chet asked after no one had spoken for a time.

"Not until tomorrow," Frank replied, his face now in a permanent frown. "Dr. Wagner insisted Joe not be disturbed during the evaluation." Not in the mood to socialize, Frank stood up, said his goodbyes and headed home.

When he got there, his parents were getting into his dad's car. "Come on," Fenton urged Frank who locked his mom's car and climbed into the back seat of his dad's.

"What's going on?" Frank demanded as his dad backed out of the driveway.

"Joe's being admitted to Corwin as a resident," Laura said, crying.

"He got violent," Fenton explained. "He attacked the doctor."

"His evaluation?" Frank asked, his head hurting.

"Dr. Wagner declared him not responsible for his actions. Joe's not going to be charged with murder or robbery, but..."

"But he's lost his freedom anyway," Frank finished for him. "Did they say when he'll be better? How long are they going to have to keep him?"

Laura began sobbing loudly. "Joe's completely unbalanced," Fenton replied heavily. "Dr. Wagner believes Joe has dementia."

"But that's a disease for old people," Frank argued in disbelief.

"It can also happen if there has been bruising of the brain," Fenton replied. "And as many times as Joe has been knocked unconscious..." he broke off, too choked up to continue.

Frank sat back in his seat. He couldn't believe Joe was crazy. It wasn't possible. How was he going to carry on without his baby brother?